As used herein the term Tablet PC refers to, by way of example, without limitation, a full-function xe2x80x9cMICROSOFTxe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cWINDOWSxe2x80x9d operating system-based personal computer incorporating various convenient and intuitive aspects of pencil and paper into a user""s interaction with a PC. Such Tablet PCs provide a very natural way to interact with a computer, namely, by writing on it, without sacrificing the power or utility of various xe2x80x9cWINDOWSxe2x80x9d operating systems and/or various xe2x80x9cWINDOWSxe2x80x9d operating system-based desktop applications. As will be apparent, Tablet PCs, as the term is used herein, are not limited to computers running xe2x80x9cWINDOWSxe2x80x9d operating system. Instead, a Tablet PC may also run any other known, or later-developed, operating system.
Computer users are generally familiar with interacting with conventional personal computers via a mouse and keyboard. Tablet PC""s, however, generally do not have a physical keyboard or a mouse as part of their user interfaces. Instead, the user will often interact with a Tablet PC in the form of inputting textual information, navigating among documents, entering commands, and the like, by using a pen or stylus on the Tablet PC""s display.
Conventional stylus and tablet user interfaces have various shortcomings, though. For instance, such conventional user interfaces are typically cumbersome to use, limit a user to one mode of inputting text information at a time, and require that the user manually switch between each of the various input modes.
Tablet PC""s are preferably adapted for portability and use in a variety of settings, including, but not limited to, meetings with multiple attendees and in relatively secluded settings, such as in a user""s office or home. Because handwritten notes are more appropriate in a meeting setting, while speech may be more efficient for entering text into correspondence from a relatively private setting, an integrated spectrum of various ways to enter textual information into a Tablet PC is desirable. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved computer user interface that allows users of Tablet PC""s to input multimedia text information (including, but not limited to, handwritten text, spoken text, and/or virtual keyboard-entered text) in various ways, while minimizing the required amount of manual switching between input modes.
A system and method in accordance with certain inventive principles overcomes the foregoing shortcomings of conventional stylus and tablet user interfaces by providing a text input panel (xe2x80x9cTIPxe2x80x9d) for accepting soft keyboard presses and handwritten words, characters, and gestures. A text input panel in accordance with various principles of the invention allows a user to input handwritten, key-press, and spoken text in a seamless, synchronized manner that takes advantage of the benefits of each manner of inputting text. Such benefits may depend upon the effectiveness and/or the appropriateness of using a particular input method under certain circumstances.
A text recognizer/synchronizer integrates textual input from various sources while recognizing and preserving the order in which a user entered text via the soft keyboard, via handwriting, and/or by speaking. Synchronized text may be displayed in a stage area of the text input panel before being passed to an operating system message router and/or an application program. While in handwriting recognition mode, various permutations and combinations of a word recognition area, a character recognition area, and a keybar/keypad may optionally be displayed.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon reviewing the following detailed description.